Michael Martin in parting shot on expenses
Updated on 17 June 2009
Speaker Michael Martin hit out at party leaders and MPs in his farewell address to the Commons.
Speaker Michael Martin hit out at party leaders and MPs in his farewell address to the Commons.
Mr Martin will stand down on Sunday having been the first speaker to be effectively forced from office for 300 years amid a welter of criticism over his handling of the expenses scandal.
He told the Commons it was "deeply disappointing" that MPs did not vote to change the allowances system when they had the chance last year.
He said: "I wish that party leaders would have shown then some of the leadership that they have shown now."
The crisis, revealed after details were leaked to the Daily Telegraph, had caused an "understandable loss of public trust and confidence in us all" and he had seen "nothing like it" in his 30 years as an MP.
Following his last Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Martin said: "Let me say to the men and women of this country - I am sorry."
He added: "But also let me remind this House that it passed up an opportunity of dealing with this emotive issue less than a year ago."
The Members Estimate Committee had produced a "blunt and straightforward" report with 18 recommendations that was presented to the House in July 2008.
"The response from this House was deeply disappointing," Mr Martin said.
"Half of the members did not attend to vote and more than half of those who did vote rejected the proposals.
"I regretted that then, I deeply regret it now and I expect that many members of this House now share my regret.
"I wish that party leaders would have shown then some of the leadership that they have shown now."
His speech, which preceded tributes from party leaders, received a 30-second bout of applause from across the House, with a handful of MPs getting to their feet.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown offered "heartfelt thanks" on behalf of the whole House for Mr Martin's "long and dedicated service to Parliament".
He said: "This House should salute a speaker who has made his constituency proud, and who is hailed as a friend by people of every background and every walk of life when he walks down the streets of his own constituency.
"The whole House will always be grateful to you. We hope you will enjoy a long and happy retirement and we offer you good wishes from every side of this House and every Member for the future. Thank you."
Tory leader David Cameron highlighted Mr Martin's "decency and kindness" and "approachability", and offered personal thanks and those on behalf of his party.
On the delay in voting for expenses reform he said: "Fortunately a consensus exists in this place now to accept what it was not willing to accept then."
"But we all share collective responsibility for that delay, and we all now have a responsibility to restore the reputation of this House."
Nick Clegg said it was "especially generous" of Mr Martin to call him to speak, after the Liberal Democrat leader had led calls for the speaker to resign.
The most recent case of a speaker being forced out was in 1695 when Sir John Trevor was expelled from the Commons after being found guilty of accepting a bribe.
A new speaker will be elected by MPs in a secret ballot on Monday.
